UW student security escorts by the numbers

Students can call 206-685-WALK (9255) for a security-guard escort to various locations on campus and within a one-mile radius off campus. Operation hours are 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

Here are the numbers of escorts through April 18 of this year, according to the University of Washington police department:

In comparison, there were 511 escorts in November 2007 and 586 in October of that year.

UW students and staff have received 17 safety notices this year and seven notices this month — one more than they received in the last three months of 2008.

But police — for the city and the university — say that while students have become more aware from the alerts, officers have not seen a continued high crime rate after an increase in robberies and violent assaults during the first months of this year.

“We absolutely had a big increase in robberies and violent assaults, but it absolutely mirrored the first three months of 2008,” North Precinct Capt. Mike Washburn said of the University District. “I talked to the West Precinct captain and he actually said they’ve experienced it consistently every year — they have a real spike in robberies and assaults in January and February.”

Last year was the first year the University District saw a similar spike during the year’s first three months, police say.